WWW Wednesday | The Fourteenth

I hope you’re still going strong as we reach the middle of a rather hot week (at least here in Quebec).

Not surprisingly, WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by the brilliant Sam at Taking on a World of Words.If you haven’t discovered her blog yet, you should reconsider what you do after reading this post 😉

And why don’t you also join is as well! It’s easy as 1 – 2 – 3. No really, it is. All you have to do is answer these 3 questions:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

I’ve been rather productive with my reads, which makes me rather happy. I’ve already finished two books this month and I’ll be finished a third by tonight. Want to find out more? Read on…

WHAT I AM CURRENTLY READING

Haven (Chronicles of Warshard #1) by Katherine Bogle

BLURB:

Princess Haven was never meant to be Queen.

Her immortality has saved her time and time again, but when the last of her royal family dies at her feet, she is next in line to rule a nation on the brink of war. With no formal training on how to be Queen, Haven must rise to the occasion with the help of her best friends, and personal guard, or risk losing everyone she has ever loved.

With war to the West, and no escape to the East, the evil tyrant Kadia sets her sights on the six kingdoms. Haven’s neighbors are quick to fall under the swords of Kadia’s shadow soldiers, leaving a sea of bodies and a clear path to Haven’s only home.

As Kadia’s obsession with Haven mounts, little time remains, and Haven must make a choice; join together with her fellow Royals, and test her immortality in a final stand against the evil Queen, or flee across the sea to a foreign republic in hopes of salvation. Both choices have a cost. Both plans could go awry. Haven must decide quickly, or she might be the only one left.

I meant to start this one a while back, but I kept getting side-tracked. I picked it up two nights ago and I was completely swept away into Haven’s story. I nearly finished last night, but then the witching hour drew upon me and I had to cap myself off. I’m 85% of the way through (thank you Goodreads) and I’m itching to see how this wonderful story concludes. I’m excited to share my review for this one 🙂

WHAT I RECENTLY FINISHED READING

Two of my favourite authors. Nothing could be better 🙂

Moving Pictures (Discworld #10) by Terry Pratchett

Blurb:

The alchemists of the Discworld have discovered the magic of the silver screen. But what is the dark secret of Holy Wood Hill? It’s up to Victor Tugelbend (“Can’t sing. Can’t dance. Can handle a sword a little”) and Theda Withel (“I come from a little town you’ve probably never heard of”) to find out.

Much better 🙂

After Eric’s slightly underwhelming narrative, Moving Pictures was a delightful installment in the Discworld series. So much to love 🙂 Claire mentioned to me how she enjoyed this novel because of her love for movies and I think that my own enjoyment benefited from the same. As someone fascinated by the film industry, it was rather wonderful to see Pratchett parodize product placement, creative differences and the nature of stardom. He never fails to impress!

The Kindly Ones (Sandman Vol. 9) by Neil Gaiman:

Blurb:

They have had many names: The Erinyes. The Eumenides. The Dirae. The Furies. Agents of vengeance, implacable and unstoppable, they do not rest until the crime they seek to punish is washed clean with blood. It is to them, THE KINDLY ONES, that Lyta Hall turns when her baby Daniel is taken from her, and it is Dream of the Endless who becomes their target. But behind a mother’s grief and unyielding rage, there are darker forces at work, and what they set in motion will eventually demand a sacrifice greater than any the Dreaming has yet known.

Neil Gaiman does it again. A genius, a true master of blending myth with reality. This penultimate installment in the Sandman series was simply told and yet more affecting than some books I’ve read this year. If you haven’t yet discovered this brilliant graphic novel series, please take note. It is a real gem of literature!

WHAT I KNOW I’M READING NEXT

Noughts & Crosses (Noughts & Crosses #1) by Malorie Blackman

Blurb:

Two young people are forced to make a stand in this thought-provoking look at racism and prejudice in an alternate society.

Sephy is a Cross — a member of the dark-skinned ruling class. Callum is a Nought — a “colourless” member of the underclass who were once slaves to the Crosses. The two have been friends since early childhood, but that’s as far as it can go. In their world, Noughts and Crosses simply don’t mix. Against a background of prejudice and distrust, intensely highlighted by violent terrorist activity, a romance builds between Sephy and Callum — a romance that is to lead both of them into terrible danger. Can they possibly find a way to be together?

This will actually be a re-read for me. It’s one I’ve been meaning to jump into for some time. I first read this series in high school and was completely enthralled by it. The choice to explore racism through a fictive twist in the normal ‘white vs black’ dichotomy was fascinating. I can’t wait to rediscover the characters as well. Plus a fourth and final book has come out in the series since I last read the third one so rereading the series will be a good refresher for it.

Into Aether (The Trinity Key Trilogy Book 1): by L.M. Fry

Blurb:

Colorado teen Theodora (Theo) will do anything to find her missing mom, including travel into the hidden and mysterious Victorian subculture of Aether. She takes a ride with airship pirates to a floating island full of strange automatons and even stranger people. After a century-old feud reignites, she uncovers the alarming truth about her family’s past. Finding her mother is more important than ever.

I finally bit the bullet and signed up for NetGalley! So now I have a ton of books I get to read and review 🙂 This will be my first one and I can’t wait. The steampunk cover caught my eye as did the premise.

…and…

The Silkworm (Cormoran Strike #2) by Rober Galbraith

BLURB:

When novelist Owen Quine goes missing, his wife calls in private detective Cormoran Strike. At first, Mrs. Quine just thinks her husband has gone off by himself for a few days–as he has done before–and she wants Strike to find him and bring him home.
But as Strike investigates, it becomes clear that there is more to Quine’s disappearance than his wife realizes. The novelist has just completed a manuscript featuring poisonous pen-portraits of almost everyone he knows. If the novel were to be published, it would ruin lives–meaning that there are a lot of people who might want him silenced.
When Quine is found brutally murdered under bizarre circumstances, it becomes a race against time to understand the motivation of a ruthless killer, a killer unlike any Strike has encountered before…

I’m not sure if I’ll get to this one before next week, but it’s on my list for the near future. I don’t have high hopes, but I’m compelled to continue the series even if the first one didn’t completely impress.

Well, that’s it for me! Let me know what you’ve been reading or are reading or will be reading in the next week. Or share your WWW Wednesday link and I’ll hop around the blogosphere to share the bibliophile love 🙂

I adore the Noughts and Crosses series. Like you, I read them at school, and never got round to reading the most recent one, but I’d love to go back and read them again, if I didn’t already have a TBR list that’s spilling off my bookshelf!

The Silkworm is also great, as good, if not better than the first one. 🙂

I’ve seen a few people mention Galbraith’s books recently. I’m back and forth on whether I want to try them or not. I haven’t done very much reading this week (again 😦 ) due to the release of Infernal Bonds. I got 60% in a book before I had to give up. I should have given up sooner but hey ho.

It’s always hard to give up on a book. It’s been a while since I’ve done it, but there have been some recently that I’ve also only just managed to get through. Hopefully with the release of Infernal Bonds tomorrow you’ll find some time this week to enjoy some good books!
On that point, best of luck with the launch tomorrow ❤

Without high expectations is the right way to approach The Silkworm. It’s a bit better than book 1, but she still hasn’t quite cracked it. There’s more Robin though… so that’s always something to look forward to 🙂

I’m so glad you enjoyed Moving Pictures (thank you for the mention!). I’d forgotten about the product placement gags.

I have to tell you the most mind-boggling thing. I opened your post and saw the cover for Haven and thought, “Wow! That looks a lot like the cover of Da Vinci’s Tiger”. Well, I thought I was going nuts, so I went to look at the cover of Da Vinci’s Tiger and the 2 covers are virtually the same! It’s so weird. Look: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24951755-da-vinci-s-tiger

I’ll go in with low expectations then and hope to enjoy it.
I just checked out the Goodreads cover like you said and you’re right! They are exactly the same with such minute differences. Hmm…. I wonder if the author’s even aware. I’ll have to point it out to her.
Thanks for stopping by. Sorry I’m late, but I’ll be checking out yours now 🙂

I really want to read Gaiman’s graphic novels ❤ They look so beautiful, and I can't resist his books!
What do you think of NetGalley? I've looked at it a couple of times but I've been unsure about it. I know a lot of people use it.
Happy reading, Faith! ^-^

NetGalley is interesting… Most of my requests have been accepted but now I have to find time to read them. If you intend to read the books and review it, it’s a great way to discover interesting reads. But it depends on the time you have and if there are any books that tickle your fancy. Hope that make sense ;P
They are beautiful, Sarina! I hope you get a chance to read them soon!

I am glad that Haven is turning out to be a good read. I am interested in reading that one.I have heard a lot about the JK Rowling thrillers but I am still on the fence about reading them. I have a copy of the Cuckoo’s Calling on my TBR. I hope Silkworm turns out to be a good read for you despite previous disappointments. Happy reading.